After a few days in Paris I am planning on flying to Italy and spending a night or two in Santa M to relax before Florence and Rome. Seems a nice spot. Easy to fly to Milan and train to SM. Any thoughts?
Posted by
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
430 posts
Yes, it is pretty straight-forward to fly into Milan then train to S. Margherita.
For me, however, if you're already at S. Margherita why not go on into the Cinque Terre and spend the couple of nights there? It is 1 hour from S. Margherita to Monterosso on the Regional train.
Posted by
OP
Parsippany
14 posts
I was looking at SM as a "day off", get in in the afternoon, stroll the beach, have dinner and leave the next day after lunch. Just wondering if anyone's been there to advise. I'm not sure if i want to add the extra travel to CT, although I've been reading good things on it.
Posted by
Dundee, Scotland
95 posts
Stay in Santa Margherita - I love it. There is a lovely hotel a few minutes walk from the railway station call the Helios. A short bus trip to Portofino (achingly beautiful but very expensive) and you might spot a movie star. Do not consider anywhere else. Very envious.
Posted by
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
430 posts
I understand. A vacation from the vacation -- smart.
For a lunch, check out Pestarino's on Via Palestro -- though only open for lunch, I believe -- good food, great pastries.
The beach is decent, and will certainly give you a chance to relax and slow down.
I'm not sure about other dining options as we were only there for a couple of hours at lunch time.
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
Agree with Linda - Santa Margherita is great. It's only about 10 minutes from Portofino, which has a nice harbor area that's worth a visit. Also check for flights from Paris to Genoa, which is fairly close to Santa Margherita. Would save you a few hours travel time compared to Milan.
Posted by
Portland
3643 posts
Some other possibilities if you are staying in S. Margherita: take a boat ride to Portofino or another destination in the area. You can see the options at the TI office. Take the bus (5 minutes) to Rapallo, another pretty town with some good places to eat. Take a bus to Camogli, same attractions as Rapallo.
Posted by
Marin, CA
532 posts
We love Santa Margherita. Always take a walk to Portofino and ferry back. Nice size and ambience. Light showers on the second day on our last visit in June though. The beaches are mostly little patches of pebbles. If you can't fit it in Orvieto would be a nice break as well and very easy to get to between Rome & Florence. Sit with a nice glass of wine, look at the views and relax.